Internal Transport System in Animals Flashcards
The circulatory system is responsible for delivering essential nutrients, such as glucose and amino acids, to different tissues and organs in the body
Transport of nutrients and oxygen
Circulation helps eliminate waste products generated during cellular metabolism, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogenous waste. These waste products are transported to the organs responsible for their excretion, like the lungs and kidneys.
Removal of waste products
The circulatory system is involved in maintaining the body’s temperature homeostasis. When body temperature rises, blood vessels dilate, promoting heat loss through the skin. Conversely, when the body is too cold, blood vessels constrict to reduce
heat loss.
Regulation of body temperature
Hormones produced by endocrine glands are released into the bloodstream, allowing them to reach their target organs and regulate various physiological processes.
Distribution of hormones
The blood vessels carry white blood cells, which are essential
components of the immune system. These cells help protect the body by identifying and
eliminating harmful microorganisms or foreign substances.
Defense against pathogens
A vital muscular organ that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body. It is surrounded and protected by a double layered membrane called the pericardium.
The heart
They receive deoxygenated blood from the body and oxygenated
blood from the lungs, respectively.
The right atrium and the left atrium
It helps to hold the heart in place and prevent
it from overexpanding or moving too much. It also acts as
a lubricant to minimize friction between the heart and
other nearby organs.
Pericardium
These are the upper chambers of the heart. There are two atria – the left
atrium and the right atrium. Atria receive blood returning to the heart from the body or lungs. The left
atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs, while the right atrium receives deoxygenated
blood from the body
Atria (singular: atrium)
These are the lower chambers of the heart – the left ventricle and the right ventricle.
Ventricles pump blood out of the heart to the rest of the body or to the lungs. The left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to the body, and the right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood to the
lungs.
Ventricles
Atrioventricular (AV) Valves
-Tricuspid Valve: Located between the right atrium and the right ventricle, it prevents the backflow
of blood from the ventricle to the atrium.
- Bicuspid or Mitral Valve: Positioned between the left atrium and the left ventricle, it prevents the
backflow of blood from the ventricle to the atrium.
Semilunar Valves
- Pulmonary Valve: Found between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery, it ensures that blood flows only from the ventricle to the pulmonary artery, preventing backflow.
- Aortic Valve: Positioned between the left ventricle and the aorta, it allows blood to flow from the ventricle to the aorta while preventing backflow.
Blood vessels
Arteries, veins, and capillaries are three
types of blood vessels in the circulatory system,
and each plays a distinct role in the transportation
of blood throughout the body.
They carry oxygenated blood away from
the heart to various parts of the body.
They have thick, muscular walls that allow them to
withstand the high pressure generated by the
heart during systole (contraction). They branch
into smaller arteries and eventually into arterioles
as they reach different tissues.
Arteries
They transport deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart.
They have thinner walls compared to arteries and contain valves to prevent the backflow of blood.
The blood pressure in veins is lower than in arteries. Veins merge into larger veins and eventually into
the superior and inferior vena cava, which return blood to the heart.
Veins